Crossed Stars Chapter 2 - First Date with Cassiel
by ChristyBlow
Summary: Freedom seeking teen, Aurelia Winters, drowns one cold October night. She awakens and finds herself in a strange world. In this place called Purgatory, Aurelia is entranced by the breathtaking beauty and by the fantastical adventures with her new friends, but she will soon find out that this world is no paradise for everyone who enters it
Crossed Stars

Chapter 2 Excerpt

 _First Date with Cassiel_

Cass now takes over the situation, "Nothing Sweet Girl, come fishing with me."

This term of endearment melts me, and I have suddenly forgotten about the argument for the time being.

"What do I need to bring?" I ask.

He reaches into his blue jean back pocket and pulls out a dull looking knife with a white plastic handle. He holds it out proudly and says, "I have everything we need right here."

"So fish just jump out to you and you stab 'em? Where are the poles, and the worms and the baskets?"

"Funny, but it is not exactly _a fish_ we are going to find." He winks at me again. _Melt_.

"No fish?"

"Auri, I really just wanted to see you again. Can I see those?" He reaches out for the sea glass in my hand that Clem placed there, and I drop them into his hand.

As if he did not just say something that jarred my soul, he says softly "These are really beautiful. He looks down shyly and then after what feels like a lifetime of awkward silence, he looks into my eyes and says softly, almost a whisper "Can I show you something else that I think you will like?"

I feel his eyes piercing mine, and I look away to break the trance before he penetrates my thoughts and uncovers the craziness I feel when he is near me.

Again, I pause so that I do not seem so anxious, and then I look at him again and say "I would like that so much."

He smiles a wide smile and immediately says "OK, but we will have to get our feet wet for this treasure. Are you in?"

Well, I like the sound of the word treasure, so yes, I am in. The water can't hurt me." I blush a little after saying that. That was a really dumb thing to say because I almost drowned recently, but being the gentleman he always seems to be, he does not acknowledge it.

Now facing each other on the shore, he holds his hand out and reaches for mine. "Come on."

I feel dizzy, euphoric, I think I forgot to breathe.

Hoping he did not notice my tiny freak out over holding his hand I wade into the water with him. I feel so safe when he is near me. I do not know if it because the rest of the world disappears or if it is because I like him so much. Either way, it is compelling. The cool gentle waves wash around our feet and trickle to the shore. This movement creates a soft soothing background noise that competes with

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nothing. We stop in the shallow water and he reaches in his back pocket and pulling out the dull knife with a plastic handle. He reaches down into the water and prys hard with the knife pulling up a rock.

Because it is in _his_ hand, this rock is a treasure, but I am a little surprised that _this_ is the treasure he worked so hard for. "Oh, a rock, it is really nice."

He belly laughs at this and says "Auri, you are so sweet. You would accept this rock and be happy with that wouldn't you?

"Oh you Just wait," he whispers as he winks at me. He keeps working on the rock, prying his knife inside and then, it finally pops open. He uses the knife to lift off the gray goo inside and offers it to me.

"Oh gross! There is something nasty on your knife. What am I supposed to do with that?"

"You eat it, like this," and then he tilts his head back and slides the mush into his mouth. He looks at me while he chews and swallows the treasure, and then he smiles and hums out "hmmmmmm that was soooo good." He holds the shell up and digs around in it, and then something amazing happens. He pulls out a beautiful striated, rather large pearl.

"For you my Angel," he takes my hand and places the pearl in my palm, then gently and slowly he closes my hand, cradling it inside his. Then with both hands around mine he looks me deep in my eyes, and we are closer than ever before physically and emotionally. I smile and feel the familiar blush creep across my cheeks and ears, and the flutter inside my heart as this memory dives into my mind to be filed.

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away under favorites, so I can replay this moment over and over again.

"These are oysters, would you like to try one Auri?"

"Ohhh no, um no."

"Please Auri, you just might be surprised."

"Will there be another pearl?" I jest.

With a twinkle in his eye he says, "If you want there to be a pearl it will be there."

"No is not in my vocabulary at this moment." With a giggle I reply, "I do and I will"

At this moment, all I want is to make him smile again, and I trust him, so I acquiesce. Then with a very pleased gleam and grin he goes back in for another oyster. He straightens up and pops the oyster open. He pulls the creature out with his knife and reaches over toward my mouth with it, balancing it on the edge of the dull blade.

"Open up." he says mimicking with his mouth wide open.

As awful as that oyster looks, I do as he asks. He slides the oyster in my mouth, and with uncertainty I chew it and I watch his eyes watching me with anticipation of my reaction. I know my eyes grow large as I bite into the slimy being. The gush of salty sweetness floods my mouth with juice, and with one big gulp I swallow it. A salty flavor now splashing into the recollection being gathered of this precious moment.

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He hands me another beautiful pearl. He follows this same ritual several more times and each time there is a pearl. Each time he hands the pearl to me. Right there in the shallow bay, in the golden October sunset I feel connected to Cass. I feel like no one else exists in the world, just me and Cassiel, and it is his affection for me making me feel that way. Once the sun sets we stay for a little while longer collecting these treasures in the moonlight. As it gets a little chili we decide to leave.

Cass does not say much but he holds my hand all the way back to my porch.

"I will see you tomorrow Auri" and then he turns to leave. I just stand and watch him leaving and then, when he reaches the end of the sidewalk, he turns back around and looks at me. Holding my eyes in his he slowly walks back to me and stands closer than he ever has. He leans in and tenderly kisses my cheek ever so softly. Strangely this ignites the heat in my pendant. I know it is my heart, but it feels like my necklace heats up every time he is close. He stops so close to my face and holds there for a minute, looking in my eyes as if he is searching for something. The he whispers, "Aurelia, I am so fond of you." I can almost feel this memory being created and wrapped in the smell of the salty bay water.


End file.
